Time controlled container



Feb. 1s, 1947.

-c. RUBANE "2,415,911

TIME CONTROLLED- CONTAINER n Filed Nov. 1,71944 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1/@NMR7mm/515 XYZ/EAM:

W- Anm/my Feb-18,1947." RBANE 2,415,911

I TIM CONTROLLED CONTAINER Filed Nov. 1, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MMWR.

AraH/VEY Patented Feb. 18, 1947 Zarsen,

TIME CONTROLLED CNTAINER Charles Rubane; Chicago, Ill.

Application November 1, 1944; Serial No. 561,443

(Cl. l- 273) 8 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in time lcontrolled containers andmore particularly to a container for cigarettes or the like adapted tobe unlocked at predetermined intervals to permit opening.

The object of the present invention is to provide a container of thecharacter referred to with novel means for retaining said containerclosed and locked for predetermined periods of time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container having ahingedly mounted cover with means operatively associated with said coverfor locking said cover in closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container of the kinddescribed with. a time controlled locking mechanism embodying means toprevent operation of the timing mechanism when the container has beenunlocked but not opened and to restore such mechanism to operationimmediately upon closing said container.

' Another object is to provide a container having time controlledlocking means therein which is controlled by manipulation of the coverinto opened and closed positions and hence is entirely automatic inoperation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a time controlledmechanism for a container wherein the power source for said mechanism,'such as a spring motor, is retained against operation while thecontainer cover is open and is wound during the movement of thecontainer cover into closed position.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent fromthe following description and claims, and are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings which by way of illustration show preferredembodiments and the principle thereof, and which is considered to be thebest mode contemplated for applying that principle. Other embodiments ofthe` invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be usedand structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled inthe artwithout departing from the present invention and the purvlew of theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a cigarette container embodyingfeatures of the present invention.

. Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the con tainer, showing partsof the housing insection to illustrate the controlled mechanism thereinvcontained.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional detail View taken on line 3-3 ofFigure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View taken on line 4 4 ofFigure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse detail sectional view taken on line5'5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is .an enlarged transverse sectional detail view similar toFigure 5, taken on line 6-6 of Figure 2. n

Figure 7 is a view lsimilar to Figure y2 by showing the parts in anunlocked position'.

Figure 8 is a perspective view illustrating another type of cigarettecontainer embodying the feature of the invention.

Referring particularly to the-form of the invention as applied to thecontainer of the type best illustrated in Figure l, said containerpreferably includes two substantially alike members Il and I2 hingedli7connected, as at I3, along complemental edges so as to be movabletowards and away from each other into a container opened or closedposition. A manually operable latch I4 of any conventional constructionmay be provided on the casing member l I to cooperate as cigarettes fromspilling therefrom when the container is opened.

It should be understood at this time that although a cigarette containeris illustrated in the drawings and described herein as one type ofcontainer suited to the use of the present invention, other types ofcontainers better suited for other goods or articles may be similarlyprovided with the time controlled locking mechanism of the presentinvention.

Referring again to the disclosure in Figure 1, it will be noted that thecasing member II is considerably longer than the cover member I2 and isprovided at the end extending beyond the end of the cover member I2,with a suitable housing Il which contains the time controlled mechanism.The time controlled mechanism, best illustrated in Figures 2 to '7inclusive, is entirely contained within the housing I1 and it includes alocking pin I8 adapted normally to project through a suitable opening I9in the inside wall 2| of said housing so as to engage in an aperture 22provided in an end wall 23 on the cover member I2 when the container isclosed. Engagement of the locking pin I8 in the aperture 22 preventsopening of the container even though the manual latch elements M-IS arerendered ineffective.

. The time `controlled mechanism previously reclockworks suitable foractuating the present ,Y mechanism constitutes no part of the invention,

the detailed `structure thereof will tnot be `described further hereinand it is suiicient to note only that said clockworks is located withinand adjacent one end of the housing :I1 and includes the usual windingstem 25 (Fig. 3) which extends outwardly of the clockwise casing intothe interior of the housing l1. A pinion 26 is iirmly secured on theextending end of rthe key-wind stem 25 'and this pinion is adapted tomesh at all times with ka vtoothed wheel-21 rmlymounted upon a shaft 28suitably journalled, .as at 29, within the housing l1.

The toothed wheel A21 has a portion of its peripheral margin projectingthrougharslot 3l 'provided therefor in the housing wall'2 l. Obviouslyrotation of the :toothed wheel 21 in either direc- .tion will impartrotation 4to the pinion `26 and the winding shaft .225 upon which it is.mounted Accordingly, rotation of the toothed wheel in one directionwill operateto wind the clockworks 24 and the rotation lin the'otherdirection will im .part no functional movement to saidclockworks.

It -is a feature of the present invention to provide means `whereby`winding of theclockworks is accomplished automatically. To :this .endthe container cover member I2 -isprovided on itsfend wall 23 with farack segment l32 located with -respect to the vhinge i3 vand .toothedwheel 2J', so as to, cooperate with the latter `when the cover member l2is .moved :relative to the 4casing member l l into opened or closedposition. Thus it will be .apparent when the :cover member .l2 is `swungfrom open position intoits closed position the rack segment -32 willmesh with the toothed wheel 21 and impart 4rotation thereto ina-direction to wind the clockworks 24. When .the cover member is opened,the relative movement `of Athe .rack .segment :3:2 will rotate rthetoothed wheel 21 in theopposite direction, but, as previously explained,no .operative movement vof the clockworks .is eiectedby this rotation. f

The time v,controlled mechanism is particularly intended to enable the-user to regulate 4the .period of operation whereby the container, whenclosed, will remain locked until vthe expiration of a predeterminedperiod of time, such as forexample, periods of one-half an hour, onehour, one and one-half :hours or -two rhours. Accordingly, 4timecontrolled means is contained within the .housing l1, .which hasmanually adjustable means .readily accessible to the Auser while -thecontainer is open -.only,.actuableto-.set said mech- .an-ism to operatefor -a predetermined period fof time." To this end `the wall -2l -of thehousing Ill ils-provided withan .elongated slot 33 having suitableindicia such ,as the time period markings 34 associated therewith. Anager-piece or pointer 35 extendsoutwardly through the slot 33 and hasitsv downwardly turned free end portion disposed in close associationwith the indicia 34.

The pointer 35, `preferably constitutes an eX- tension projectingsubstantially at .right angles 4 to a sleeve 36 slide-bly mounted upona. rigid guid frame 31 arranged within the housing l1. The sleeve 3E hasa pin 38 extending upwardly therefrom providing a bearing for a bellcrank lever 3Q which lever is movable with the sleeve 36 and is freelyrotatable in a horizontal plane about the pivot pin 38. One arm 4I ofthe bell crank lever 39 is adapted to rest at all times betweenshoulders or pins42`, provided onthe inner end of the loclning pin I8..A spring Y43 associated with said arm'normally retains the locking pinin its locking position. The other arm 44 of said bell crank lever 39extends rearwardly of the pin 38, as best -shownin Figure 2, andprovides means whereby the bell crank may be engaged and moved againstthe action of the Spring 43 about its pivot pin 38 to carry the lockingpin i8 out of locking engagement with the aperture 22 in the member I2.

The means provided to move the bell crank 39 in the manner describedhereinabove is actuated byoperation-oi theclock mechanism 24. To thisend, said clock mechanism yincludes a driven shaft vt5 .having a wormgear 46 iirmly secured thereon and adapted .to mesh with a rack 41provided on a carriage generally indicated at 48. The carriage'48 isformed with `an elongated intermediate body Aportion 'having the rack 41formed on its -underface and two leg portions 49, each termihating in abearing -5 vslidably mounted upon a rigid `guide rod 5l. A spring "52preferably "mounted around the guiderod 51 normally bears against oneofthe bearings 50 'soias Vto urge the carriage d8 into the extremeVright hand 'position 'illustrated in Figure 2. 'The spring `52 `alsobears upon the upper face of one of the leg portions 49 so as to holdthe rack 41 .in mesh with the pinion. The upper face 'of the 'carriage48 has a pin or other projection 53 adjacent an end which is adapted toengage the arm 44 on the bell crank lever 39 when said carriage 48 `ismoved to the left, as illustrated in Figure '7, to thereby causesaid'bell crank to 'move about its pivot 38 and retract the locking pinI'S.

Movement ofthe carriage 48 from the position shown in Figure 2 into aposition corresponding to that 'shown-in'Figure 7 is effected, duringoperation of the clockworks. Obviously the clockworks, when inoperation, will continue to operate Auntil such time as furtheroperation is prevented `due to the predetermined setting of the timecontrol mechanism represented by the pointer 35. This control orstopping of the operation of the clockworks is effected through settingof the pointer 35 because theparticular position at which the pointer'35 -is located determines the distance which the carriage 48 may travelbefore the stop pin '53 thereon strikes the arm 44 of the bell crank 39.As soon as the bell crank 39 .has .rotated suiiiciently to move theinner end of thelocking pin i8 against a stop 54 within the housing I1,.further movement of the carriage is prevented. VConsequently bindingfriction between the rack 41, which is now held against furthermovement, and the worm gear 46 meshing therewith, prevents furtherrotation of said worm gear 45 and thereby brakes the .clock mechanism.The mechanism and operationV described hereinabove constitutes the meanswhereby the icontainer is unlocked at the .expiration of .apredetermined period of time 'so that it may be opened upon actuation ofthe manual latch 114-415. It should be evident at this time that suchtime interval may be varied at will upon moving the pointer 35 so as toincrease or .decrease the distance the carriage must travel beforeengaging and actuating the bell crank 39.

As soon as the container is opened, movement of the rack segment 32imparts rotation to. the toothed wheel 21 in a direction reverse to thatin which said toothed wheel rotated while the container was beingclosed. Such rotation of the toothed wheel is effective to momentarilydisengage the rack 41 from the worm gear 46 whereupon said carriage 48is returned to its initial position due to the action of the spring 52.The

clockworks is thereby relieved of the binding aci tion of said rack and,unless other holding means is provided, is again free to resumeoperation. It is, however, desired that the clockworks be prevented fromoperation while the container is open. Consequently, additional means isprovided to restrain said clockworks against operation until such timeas the container is again closed.

The various means and mechanisms actuated while opening the containerare best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5; As there shown, the shaft 28,carrying the toothed wheel 21, also carries a cam element 55 arranged tocooperate at certain times with a pawl 56 pivotally secured at 51 to anarm 58 extending outwardly beyond one edge of the carriage 48. The pawl56 is mounted to the arm 58 in such manner that it is free to swingoutwardly and upwardly, relative to said arm, but is prevented fromswinging inwardly and upwardly so as to thereby provide in eiect asubstantially rigid construction for certain purposes. It will,therefore, be noted upon reference to the disclosure in Figure 5 thatrotation of the shaft 28 in a clockwise direction, as when closing thecontainer, will cause the cam 55 thereon to strike against, lift andpass beneath the pawl 56 without aiecting the position of the carriage48. However, when the shaft 28 is rotated in an anticlockwise directionwhile opening the container, the cam 55 rides beneath the pawl 56 andthereby elevates the same and consequently raises the carriage 48sufficiently to disengage its rack 41 from the worm gear 46. As soon asthe carriage 48 returns to its initial position, the locking pin I8 alsoreturns to its initial locking position due to the influence of thespring 43.

The means to prevent undesired operation of the clockworks while thecontainer is open also is actuated when the shaft 28 is rotated in ananti-clockwise direction. As best shown in Figure '7,.such meansincludes a second cam 59 carried on said shaft 28 and arranged tocooperate` with a vlever 6| for moving said lever into frictionalengagement with the driven shaft 45 with suicient pressure to preventsaid shaft from rotating. The pressure of the lever 6| is relievedimmediately upon the cover member I2 being moved into its closedposition whereupon the operation of the clockworks commences.

It should be evident at this time that a very compact and a practicalmechanism has been providedto eiect time controlled locking of acontainer and that the mechanism is such as to enable its relative partsto be adjusted easily and quickly to vary the time of operation to suitthe requirements of the user.

In Figure 8 another type of container has been illustrated wherein thetime controlled mechanism is contained entirely within a cover member62. This mechanism is controlled in its operation by a rack segment 83carried on the body portion 64 of said container. In other respdcts, thetime controlled mechanism there illustrated is identical to thatdescribed hereinabove and like numerals identify corresponding parts.

Although exemplary forms of the invention have been described in detailhereinabove and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it should beunderstood that the invention is Acapable of embodying .a wide varietyof modications without departing from the spirit of the invention or thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Lock mechanism comprising a locking element, means normally retainingsaid locking element in locking position, a, spring motor, meansoperable by said spring motor to move said locking element to unlockingposition and to stop the motor, means rotatable in one direction to windsaid motor, and means actuable when the motor Winding means is rotatedin the other dlrection to cause the locking element to assume its normallocking position and enable the motor to operate.

2. A time controlled container including a casing member and a covermember hingedly mounted thereon, a housing arranged within one of saidmembers, a locking element in said housing norm-ally engaged in theother member When the container is closed, a spring motor in saidhousing operable to move the locking element into unlocking position,means operable to wind said motor during movement of the cover memberinto closed position, and means to hold said motor inoperative while thecontainer is open.

3. A time controlled container including a casing member and a covermember hingedly mounted thereon, a housing arranged Within one of saidmembers, a locking element in said housing normally engaged in the othermember when the container is closed, a spring motor in said housingoperable to move the locking element into unlocking position, meansoperable to wind said motor during movement of the cover member intoclosed position, and means to hold said motor inoperative when thelocking element is in unlocking position.

4. A time controlled container including a casing member and a covermember hingedly mounted on the casing member, a locking element in oneof said members normally engaging the other member when the container isclosed, a spring motor, means operable to render the motor operativewhen the container is locked in closed position, slidable means movableby operation of said motor to move the locking element into unlockingposition after a predetermined period of motor operation, meanseffective when the locking element is in unlocked position to stop themotor, and selective means actuable to vary the period of motoroperation.

5. A time controlled container including a casing member and a covermember hingedly mounted on the casing member, a locking element in oneof said members normally engaging the other member when the container isclosed, a spring motor, means operable to render the motor operativewhen the container is locked in closed position, slidable means movableby operation of said, motor to move the locking element into unlockingposition after a predetermined period of motor operation, meanseffective when the locking element is in unlocked position to stop themotor, and means to hold the motor against operation when the 'containeris open.

6. A time controlled container including a casing .member and a covermember hingedly mounted on the casing member, a locking element in oneof said members normally engaging the other member when the container isclosed, a spring motor, slidable means movable by oper` ation of saidmotor to move the locking element into unlocking position and stop themotor whereupon the container may be opened, and means eiective Whileopening said container to return the slidable means to its initialposition.

7. A time controlled container including a casing member and a covermember hingedly mounted on the casing member, a locking element in oneof said members normally engaging the other member when the container isclosed, a spring motor, slidable means movable by operation of saidmotor to move the locking element into unlocking position and stop themotor whereupon the container may be opened.

8. A time controlled container including a casing member and a covermember hingedly mounted on the casing member, a locking element in oneof said members normally engaging the other member when the. containeris closed, a spring motor, slidable means movable by operation of saidmotor to move the locking element into un- A5 locking position and stopythe motor whereupon REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the l15 fue of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 580,736 Smith Apr. 1,3, 1897 201,746,854 Evensen Feb. 11, 1930 2,016,534 Blackwell et al Oct., 8, 19,35

